Islamabad (July 21, 2017): Counsel of Prime Minister’s children Salman Akram Raja on Friday completed arguments before the three-member bench of the apex court hearing Panama case.
Salman Akram Raja during the course of Friday hearing tried to satisfy the court on the documents that he had submitted a day earlier and members of the bench raised several objections.
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The judges had questioned the authenticity of the documents submitted by the lawyer on behalf of his clients, pointing to the trust deed of the four London flats.
They warned the lawyer that if the PM’s children fail to provide the money trail, Nawaz Sharif would have to suffer the consequences since he holds a public office.
The judges had pointed out that the trust deed ─ executed between Maryam Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz in February 2006 ─ was signed on Saturday in a country where it was not possible to seek official appointments on a holiday.
Raja informed the bench that there were several law firms in London that operate on Saturdays, to which the bench agreed.
The counsel also clarified before the bench that his predecessor, Akram Sheikh, may have made a clerical error which led to a confusion of dates regarding ownership of offshore companies by the premier’s children.
“We cannot even think of submitting false documents in court,” argued Raja.
During the hearing, the bench also directed for the production of volume 10 of the JIT report, with Justice Azmat observing that they want to keep everything transparent.
The bench asked the prime minister’s counsel, Khawaja Harris, to examine specific sections of the volume.
Raja informed the bench that the prime minister’s children were responsible for their own businesses, saying their grandfather aided them financially till 2004.
Addressing Raja, Justice Azmat observed “you did well today”.
Presenting his arguments, Raja claimed that the Qatari prince was not given the option of recording his statement via video link.
During the hearing, Justice Ejaz remarked that they will swim against the tide, within the remits of the law, if they have to.
The bench observed that action is taken in accordance with the relevant law if the assets of a public office holder are more than his known income sources.
Justice Ijaz commented that the prime minister, in his speech in the National Assembly and before the nation, said he has all the necessary proof but they are waiting for this proof for over a year.
The judge observed further that Capt (retd) Safdar’s assets declaration does not mention Maryam’s beneficial ownership of offshore companies.
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